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Health insurance companies should offer marketplace plans that make the cost of basic outpatient care—like primary care, specialty care, and prescription drugs—affordable to consumers. This report shows that the new federal standardized silver plans will help consumers by covering this care before people meet their deductible.

Many consumers have plans from 2014 and will simply opt to renew. And, for many, renewal is the best option. But, as our infographic shows, to make sure that they are getting the best plan this year, all consumers should head to the marketplace to shop for plans during open enrollment season.

Both a call to action and a roadmap for progress, Families USA’s latest report, Health Reform 2.0 lays out a path for securing high-quality, affordable health care to all Americans—regardless of income, age, race, or ethnicity—and for achieving the “Triple Aim”: improving health, enhancing quality of care, and reducing health care costs.

By partnering with health insurance companies, enrollment assisters gain access to plan information and health literacy resources. Assisters can more easily obtain answers to consumer questions about the marketplace plans available to them and troubleshoot consumer problems.

When health plans design their provider networks, they need to ensure that these networks are adequate and provide meaningful access to care. The Affordable Care Act established the first-ever federal rights guaranteeing private insurance consumers access to adequate networks.

In preparation for the start of the second open enrollment period for the health insurance marketplaces, we’ve sponsored a series of talks with directors from state- and federally-run marketplaces across the country. These discussions share what’s top-of-mind for state health officials—lessons learned, the needs of consumers in this upcoming enrollment season, and insights into what has worked so far, and why.

This week’s midterm and gubernatorial elections shifted the political landscape dramatically. How will these changes affect the work of Families USA and other advocates whose goal is achieving affordable, high-quality health care? They will certainly have some impact, but it is important not to exaggerate their significance. Today, we’re examining the implications for health care advocacy in the states and on Capitol Hill.

Much like a cell phone, an insurance plan is only as good as its network. Protections enacted at the federal and state levels are an important step toward strengthening private insurance provider networks. The Affordable Care Act created the first-ever provider network protections for private insurance consumers. These protections require health insurance marketplace plans to have adequate networks to meet their enrollees’ medical needs in a timely manner.

Whether they need guidance with improving outreach, helping consumers understand their health coverage, or using the media to spread the word, resources are available to help navigators and assisters be successful.